From Life and of Fire
by a breezy era
Summary: AmonRobin Pairing. Chap 7: Amon and Robin will have a new life in Tokyo...but they can never let go of their past.
1. From Life and of Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Witch Hunter Robin. It's not mine. I'd love to at least own Amon, but this time he's Robin's.  
  
From Life and of Fire  
  
Rating: PG 13 (For now.we'll see about later)  
  
A/N: This fiction takes place after the 26th episode where the factory has been blown to pieces. It would be advisable to have seen the series before reading this. Otherwise, read and review! This will probably end up being the fangirl's dream!  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
A sore Robin's hand inched out from below the debris as she emerged into wakefulness. The entire experience was lost to her for a moment.there had been STN-J, then she was abandoned, and then they came back again, and there was Amon.and the factory.  
  
With the thought of her dear friend, Robin's adrenaline surged. Flames roared out from below the cement, incinerating it. She winced as the bright sunlight attacked her eyes. It was mid morning, she judged, perhaps 10 or so. Standing up and brushing herself off, she took a good look at the damaged scene around her. She had been scratched, and was bleeding, but it was nothing serious. What had been the factory was now a sporadic bunch of blocks fallen in random places over the field. A forest was nearby, and in it refuge. There were no people here, so she did not move towards it. Her position was safe enough. Where was Amon?  
  
She tried not to panic. They had been together, running through the halls, and then he had fallen from the influence of the Orbo after their contact with Zaizen. She couldn't recollect any later details, although she faintly remembered trying to carry him out. There had been a red door, an emergency exit perhaps. She retraced her steps over the fragments of cement as she worked through the scenario in her mind. They would have almost been out as the factory blew apart. The others would be safe now, she thought out of instinct. However, Amon may not be. Already fairly exhausted from the Orbo, he would have no way of combating his injuries on top of that. Slipping on her glasses in preparation, she scoped the ground about her. It was time for a search, and she was the hunter. 


	2. Search

Disclaimer: Witch Hunter Robin is not mine. If only.  
  
From Life and of Fire  
  
A/N: Yes, that was a very short prelude. I apologize ^^. However, I'm getting there. Please review.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
She began by sitting down slowly in the spot at which she had awoken. Presumably they couldn't be too far apart at this point, since she had been supporting him. Then again, Amon was the odd type. Perhaps he had believed her for dead.and had left. Shaking the thought out of her head, she scolded herself. Amon had come back and helped her, time and time again, no matter how little she believed in him between. He was not just a fellow worker, he was a friend, and she was responsible for his safety.  
  
She began lifting chunks of cement from the top layer of destructed factory material and moving them to a cleared space nearby. The work was thorough and tiring in her already exhausted state, but she persevered. Little by little, the entire bunch of concrete was moved.and there was no Amon.  
  
Robin refused to believe he was blown away in the explosion. Amon, the brooding strong fighter who had been the only impersonal member of the hunter team when she joined, was not just the type who would lie down and die. No, there must be another answer. She crawled along the ground, sifting the soil in hopes of discovering a handprint or a foot print or any trace of recent movement. She had no recollection of how many days had passed, so she could not use that to judge.  
  
She felt so hopeless, and hungry. She had found clues yes, a body print 5 meters from where she had begun. The sand around it had been shifted as though moved, and it was certainly not her doing. The shifted sand led to the forest and shade which Robin desired. She had a decent knowledge of edible herbs and plants. If she could just get over their before darkness fell.then again, it would not be safe. She found a stable cluster of cement with a large hole in it, and crawled in for shade and sleep. A sad tear flowed down her cheek, and she wiped it away. Amon would not be dead. Then, sleep took her.  
  
A tall figure came out from the darkness of the woods where he had been watching her restlessly throughout the day. He sat down nearby, but indefinitely out of view. In the dusk it was difficult to determine his appearance. Fingering the Orbo gun in his jacket pocket, he decided to wait through the night. She would need sleep first. Robin slept on, unknowing. 


	3. The Wounded Gaurd

Disclaimer: Witch Hunter Robin is not mine.but I have a DVD copy.isn't that special?  
  
From Life and of Fire  
  
A/N: I felt a bit more inspired on this installment. I want to get things in motion, and bring out the actual PG 13 rating on this fan fiction. That is always enjoyable. Please continue to review my work, and naturally I will read yours too if you would like.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Robin stirred in her sleep, and the shadowy figure that had moved to the entrance to watch her stood and strode away calmly to survey any advancements from a more anonymous area. She rose like a flower in the wilderness, bright and renewed and beautiful. Buttoning up her black dress after sleeping on it through the night, she ran her fingers through her long auburn her and let it flow down her back.  
  
She sat upright now, and in this new morning the heroine Robin held a more rationale state of mind. Carefully replacing her spectacles, she rose from her position and walked out in the morning. The site of the wreckage lay empty and still and all she could do was sit hopelessly.  
  
The shadowy figure watched these actions emotionlessly. It was Amon, who had watched over her in the night, though she did not know. He felt oddly ashamed at not having revealed his identity to her. Tossing off the feeling, he shut his eyes and leaned onto the thick trunk of a tree. There was no denying that she was his partner, and after this entire ordeal, one of his best friends. He had in fact believed her dead, and had left sadly in hope of another lonely tomorrow. She would know, he reasoned, that he had near betrayed her the day before. For now he sat and watched her go about her daily doings. He would return again that night, he decided, as her sentinel.  
  
She cleaned her wounds, unaware of the brooding audience. It was a difficult and painful process, but necessary, because she saw the marks of infected scratches that could not be borne away by the power of her witchcraft. She took herbs from the woods and made mixtures and bandages, and a meal as well. By the afternoon she was healed and resting, and by evening she went to bed once again in her special concrete slab.  
  
Amon had watched all this, somehow only now keenly aware of the wounds marking his body. He had ignored them for two days past, merely wiping them off with a lightly soiled cloth if they bothered him. Now their soreness came back full throttle, and it was all he could do to stay awake and protect Robin. However, the area seemed so peaceful, barely echoing the sounds of bustling Japan. He would rest for an hour, perhaps, and resume his duties. He had lost track of time.  
  
Then the morning came, and both sentinel and girl lay still in sleep. She would wake later, rested from a long sleep and no longer exhausted. Amon would not see the early morning light, or the afternoon. It was Robin's choice now, and nature's, to whether the wounded sentinel would see the day again. 


	4. Morning

Disclaimer: I don't own Witch Hunter Robin. Oh, if only.  
  
From Life and of Fire  
  
A/N: Hello again! I haven't really gotten reviews, but I'll just keep updating and hope some turn up.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Robin awoke to the groan of cement near her feet. Pulling herself quickly closer toward the opening to the outside, she observed that a large bunch of heavy material had been very close to falling on top of her. She quizzically moved forward to touch it. It was still stable.the movement could only be caused by some form of outer pressure.  
  
Scrambling to her feet, Robin put on her spectacles and stood outside. Edging carefully around the stone she jumped forward to find a solitary figure sleeping restlessly on top of her hideout. At first, all she saw were his numerous wounds and the fact that the sleeping man was in a slightly feverish state. Then realization hit her.  
  
"Amon."  
  
Her first realization was that an Orbo gun hung limply in his hand. She filed the image away for later consideration. Meanwhile, her concern was with his wounds. She toiled through the afternoon, moving him into the woods for shade and clearing out the chunks of stone in his skin and the nastily infected blotches that had gone without care for too many days. Night fell, and she fell asleep by his side, exhausted from a day worry and work.  
  
The sunrise brought hope, and again she toiled. She had taken care of the infections and brought down his fever by mid afternoon. Today had required dragging him to a small stream in the woods that she had discovered while searching for food. Robin was strong, but Amon was heavy, and once again she fell into a tired sleep.  
  
Amon awoke early the next morning, healed with the dawn. He observed his arms and hands nervously. His jacket had been removed to bandage his shoulder, and his infected scars were all but healed. It was discomforting to find himself far from where he had fallen asleep.  
  
Robin! What of her? He looked over in alarm. There she was, asleep at his side, holding a bunch of herbs in her hand.  
  
His usually expressionless face softened. She had cared for him it seemed. His gun was laid on top of his coat, folded neatly in a pile nearby. She was thorough certainly, but now exhausted. With a rush of hesitance, he spread the coat over her sleeping body and stood up to assess their situation.  
  
This is where Robin found him when she rose in the morning. He stood a bit away, his back to her. She shifted comfortably. It was warmer this morning, somehow. She sighed happily. He had put his coat over her in the night, a very mild gesture of kindness.  
  
She rose, and walked shyly to him. "Thank you, Amon."  
  
He gave a curt nod in response. She sighed. What else was there to expect? "Are you feeling better?"  
  
She was standing behind him, and so could not tell that a gentle half-smile lit his face. "Yes, I am. Thank you, Robin." With this he turned around and looked at her, noting a faint redness in her cheeks. It struck him odd, but he shook the vision off.  
  
She turned away and moved her jacket from nearby, under which there was a supply of food she had gathered. While she prepared breakfast, she considered her reaction to his kind words. She had blushed, and she was sure he had noticed. This made her blush further. This was Amon.he would never see her that way.  
  
They ate a light breakfast in silence. It did not make either feel really uncomfortable, but it saddened Robin. She wanted to speak, but she did not wish to anger him or cause an odd situation. She settled for a matter-of- fact and reasonable question.  
  
"What will we do now, Amon?"  
  
For the first time in a while, she saw him look truly distraught. He caught her eye, and frowned.  
  
"I don't know Robin." 


	5. Shelter

Disclaimer: Oh if only I owned Witch Hunter Robin.I could do an OVA, and add a steamy love scene.but to no avail. I own nothing.  
  
From Life and of Fire  
  
A/N Thank you so much to my reviewer!!! You put a smile on my face when I saw a review message in my email. Thank you for the terrific suggestions. I am definitely planning on incorporating them in this chapter. Others, review and enjoy! Yay!  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Robin and Amon trekked silently through the forest, each absorbed in their own thoughts and musings. They had been walking all afternoon with few words said, only imagining what the future before them could hold.  
  
To Robin, the prospect before them was frightening. She recalled the image of the limp Orbo gun in Amon's hand when she had first discovered him outside of her chunk of concrete. It worried her, as though Amon might have attacked her.  
  
He must have protected her during the night, but were his intentions really good. Shaking her head, she put away the nervous suspicions. She must trust him, or they would never make it out of this.  
  
Amon frowned as he watched Robin suspiciously out of the corner of his eye. She was biting her lip slightly, and subconsciously looking over at him occasionally. It was odd, to be alone with this girl that he could not quite figure out. He sighed.  
  
She was an ideal travel partner, he could confess. She did not desire much, or if she did, she did not vocalize it. Quiet and trustworthy she would take what was given and work with it, a characteristic built out of her strict early lifestyle.  
  
No, he was not worried about her survival skills. His only concern was her forwardness. She had always looked to him for direction when they were together, and seemed far more independent without. He couldn't figure out how he felt about his relation to her. Clenching his fists annoyingly, he caused her to look over with a slight look of alarm. He waved it off and she resumed her lonely thoughts.  
  
He almost felt bad. He didn't mean to be rude at all, it was just how he was. She seemed to understand that he cared for her well enough, and there was nothing more he could do. It was always hard to decide. Sometimes on the hunt, he felt like they were the closest of friends and partners.  
  
Then when she made a mistake, he felt like a guardian, chastising her endlessly. It was always hard to gauge that with her. He shrugged. It didn't matter. He had grown not to let these things worry him.  
  
They walked near aimlessly through the forest, going in what they felt was a forward direction. The sounds of civilization faded in and out. At a certain point, they were both thinking of Michael and Dojima and the rest, absorbed in the experiences they had together.  
  
Amon and Robin no longer existed, according to law. There would be no way they could randomly show up in STN-J to visit anytime soon. Such an event would merely illicit a crazy hunt, and complications and other such unnecessary things.  
  
"Ah, Amon?"  
  
"Yes, Robin?"  
  
"I feel as though we are, somewhat postponing this question. We can't wander aimlessly through the forest for eternity. We're going to run out of materials eventually, and our hygiene is suffering."  
  
Damn it, she was right. They were already low on food, even though they gathered as they went along. He frowned.  
  
"I have a contact. He lives outside of Tokyo, and if I recall this forest leads directly to his residence. We will work from there. I won't promise anything now, Robin."  
  
She sighed, accepting his answer. He was more of the dominant type, she noticed. He liked being on top of things, but it was understandable that he too was at least slightly nervous about the entire affair. It felt good to know they were going somewhere.  
  
Amon strived to recall the exact location of his long time acquaintance Lee. He was glad that Robin had accepted their route now, because it would be getting harder later. Lee was a strange fellow, a suspicious one, but he was secure at the very least.  
  
After that, they'd have to find somewhere secure to live. Maybe another city or perhaps they would stay here. He made a personal note to discuss this with Robin later. They stopped at a fork in the road with a small sign, pointing towards Tokyo on the right, and to some seemingly unknown location on the left.  
  
Robin faltered. Long ago, she had been sent to Tokyo to attend to STN-J and matters of hunting witches. As Amon pulled her towards the left fork, she wondered if she would ever see the people she had first come for again.  
  
They continued to walk as signs of civilization faded entirely and the forest grew wild and unrestrained. The evening passed uneventfully, and the two fell asleep on the ground and rested through a clear starry night.  
  
Robin slept first, letting her long red hair out onto her jacket, which she used for a pillow. She was asleep instantly, with a small happy smile on her face and a soft sigh with each breath in the quiet night. Amon watched her quietly, considering their days together.  
  
They had gotten to talking about in the evening. She had told him about what happened after they had first parted when she went underground, and he listened with interest to her recounting of meeting his brother and his assistants. She was a nice girl, Robin. He liked having her around on this sad trip. Looking up to the stars, Amon too fell asleep.  
  
The next morning they woke with the sun, and proceeded towards their shelter. Robin noticed that Amon was getting more and more aggressive as they neared the place. She wondered what ties Amon had with this man, what connection. She did not question the worthiness of his connections; she would let him deal with that. It made her curious.  
  
They reached a large house with many adjacent windows. It looked friendly from the outside to Robin, but to Amon it was merely a façade that made him nervous. He was sure Robin liked it, for she was eyeing it with interest. He sighed. She was so innocent. It was hard to deal with sometimes.  
  
They went to the door and Amon knocked harshly. This was Lee, and he would have to deal with him yet again. A tall man opened the door, lanky and thin with long hair like Amon's, but an odd combination of brown and red. He wore mirrored glasses, not allowing them to see his eyes.  
  
Lee looked at them quizzically. He had a very familiar looking man on his doorstep, accompanied by a tiny slender girl with red hair and a very conservative appearance. She looked maybe sixteen or seventeen years old, maybe younger or older. Lee was never good with such guessing games. He grinned at them.particularly the girl. In the back of his mind he considered liberalizing her just a bit.  
  
Amon eyed the man wearily. Lee was a longtime playboy.he liked his girls young, pretty, innocent and obedient. Subconsciously he drew closer to Robin, as though to claim and protect her. He didn't like the man's grin.  
  
They discussed their arrangements, but through it all Amon had an eye on Robin out of the corner of his eye, while Lee watched her unabashedly. Lee casually led them to a room near the back of the establishment with two beds nearby each other. Amon would not take an eye off of him.  
  
Robin barely noticed the interactions between the two men. The girl did notice, however, Amon's sudden protectiveness. She liked it, in a way. She chastised herself. Amon was a good ten years older than she. Still, she couldn't help enjoying the sudden attention.  
  
They were to stay in a suite, with a bedroom and bathroom. The dining room and kitchens were on the other side of the building. It was lonely here, secluded and quiet. She tossed her jacket on the bed by the window. Amon was having a rapt discussion with Lee about their stay, so she decided not to bother them and proceeded to bathe.  
  
Lying in the bathtub, she felt like she was in heaven. All the soreness of the past days seemed to fade into the air as warm luxurious water took over. They would have a safe resting place, at least for a few days. She didn't know what Amon was arranging, but she trusted it would be for the good of them both.  
  
In the bedroom, Amon had finished his dealings with Lee. They would stay for as long as needed. Lee was a smart man. He did not charge much for long stays, he knew his clientele was often incapable of affording this. Amon had emptied his bank account before the Factory attack, knowing something like this could happen. He had intended to switch banks anyway.  
  
He could hear light splashes from the bathroom, signaling that Robin was in there. She had gone in while he and Lee were talking, presumably because she didn't want to interrupt.  
  
For a second, a more instinctual part of Amon's mind urged him to join her. He shook off the thought immediately, feeling disgusted with himself. She was 15, how in the world could that happen? Another part of his mind retaliated by citing her maturity level.  
  
Amon sighed. He knew it was true. She did act 15 sometimes, but because of her rigid upbringing he could often mistake her for a 20-yearold or so. He knew age wouldn't be much of an issue in a romance. The thought made him pale. He didn't like the idea of seeing Robin that way. In a way, he did. He wondered if he was scared.  
  
Robin came out of the shower dressed with her hair still drying in a towel. She found Amon lost in thought sitting on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Amon, I'm finished. I'm sorry it took a while."  
  
The sound of her voice shook him out of his dream, and he nodded and proceeded to bathe. Robin heard the mild sound of splashing, and blushed slightly, then turned away and refused to even consider the idea. She spoke to Lee briefly on the subject of clothing and he said she could do laundry as often as necessary, but he could not guarantee any stores nearby without endangering her and Amon's anonymity.  
  
Lee watched Robin out of the corner of his eye as she hung up her jacket to dry in the air. She was a difficult one to say the least. He wondered what lifestyle she led to make her so distant and quiet. Shrugging, he didn't plan on finding out.  
  
He was older than Amon by a few years, and the idea of a girl half his age wasn't terribly pleasurable. However, Amon would have quite a fun time with this one, most likely. It would be nice to hear some young action in his home for a change.  
  
Despite his protests, Robin washed various pieces of Amon's clothing. Lee turned up with some extra clothes for them, so Amon and Robin spent the day working out personal affairs. After dinner, Amon went to talk to Lee about contacts and Robin went to bed. Out of habit she folded her clothes on the end table by her bed, and slipped under the covers to the feel of cool sheets all over her skin. She was out like a light when Amon finally entered and went to bed himself.  
  
He watched her sleep. It was, nice in a way. She wore a small half-smile, barely noticeable in the darkness of the room. She had her covers tucked all the way to her chin and her long red hair floated over her pillows. With a start, Amon noticed the neatly folded outfit she had been wearing all day lying nearby. Looking outside to the clothesline, he saw all of her other clothing. That left.  
  
He sat up in shock. She slept in the nude.  
  
He was wearing pants and had discarded his extra shirt to be worn the next day, but at least he was clothed. He looked over at her sleeping form, but now that he knew she wasn't clothed, it was different in a way. He felt his face color, and turned over on his other side, refusing to look anywhere near her. So passed their first day in safety. 


	6. For Fantasy

Disclaimer: I do not own Witch Hunter Robin. All I own is OCs, which are lovely of course.  
  
From Life and of Fire  
  
A/N: Sorry it's taken a while to update. School has been getting to me with the new semester and all, and I'm just trying to sort out all these conflicts I have. I'm trying to develop some new angles to Robin and Amon's story. Thank you again to my reviewers, and please continue reading!  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Sunlight streamed in through the windows, welcoming the two weary travelers happily into a new day. Amon and Robin had slept late, an indulgence they rarely experienced, and a sad Lee had crept away from the door in the midst of the night in disappointment of the lack of action.  
  
Lee concerned himself sometimes. Like Amon and Robin, he had suffered in an accident and was believed dead. Rather than running, he established a new existence for himself by opening an Inn and business, where he lived happily and in peace, yet always holding a shadowy regret of the life he had thrown away. He had not been in a witch-related accident, he could have gone home. To Lee, it would have been so different.  
  
Now, twenty years the wiser, he could see the burn in Amon and Robin's eyes, the unspoken hope for a safe return to friends and family. It would never happen, thought Lee, as he lay musing in his bed. Much as he desired a lovely night, that girl had another fate. His old friend needed some straightening out.maybe this would do him well. There was business to be taken care of. Needless to say he'd be in charge of many of Amon's affairs. Lee sighed. Entertainment would come later.  
  
Down the hall and through a doorway, a rested pair of friends blinked their eyes to dispel the harsh onset of the morning. Amon had forgotten all the events of the previous evening, and he turned over with a start.  
  
"Robin, today Lee will start arranging anything we need done for the future. I'd like to know your opinion: do you want to go elsewhere, maybe Kobe or Osaka? We need a large city so that we can hide with more ease. Otherwise, we can stay in Tokyo, and hope for the best."  
  
Robin's eyes flew open and she sat up with a start upon hearing this information. The time for deciding had come and she had no idea what to say. Unfortunately, Amon had more to think about than their transportation. Robin was sitting up with her sheet to her chest, but due to his positioning even that left little to the imagination. He blushed furiously, and forced himself to jam his face in the pillow, muttering unintelligible syllables.  
  
His embarrassment was nothing compared to Robin's, who just then realized that she was stark naked in a bed with a much older man in the room. Chaos ensued as she apologized profusely and grabbed her clothing from the table top. Amon was furious with himself yet again. He had just seen a whole lot of detail about Robin that he didn't want to say.well, okay, some part of his mind was telling him he did want to see it but he decided to ignore that.  
  
After this was sorted out, a rather flushed Amon and Robin sat down to discuss their plans without jest. Robin considered their possibilities. Moving to Osaka or Kobe would be safe, yes, but not safe enough. They would still be tracked, and they would still have to deal with the fact that they had left their past behind. Staying in Tokyo, even without being prominent, would give them the advantage of maintaining contact with inside sources, and would allow them to know quickly if there were any changes in the atmosphere.  
  
Robin sighed. Going to a new city would be like running away. Maybe someday she and Amon would travel together. Right now, it was time for more careful plans.  
  
Amon knew her choice before she opened her lips nervously to speak. He agreed that they would be temporarily safer in another location, but that in the long run it would be beneficial to them to know what was really going on in Tokyo and the witch hunt.  
  
Amon nervously placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, not knowing whether or not this was the appropriate action after their earlier encounter.  
  
"We will have time now, Robin," he assured her. "We will be safe. Lee will make arrangements, and we can still stay here until they are taken care of. All we can do now is figure out what necessities we need, and what needs to be done before we leave, and immediately after we arrive. We can do this Robin."  
  
His face softened in a way that Robin did not expect. She knew that Amon understood her fears and worries.but his sudden comforting gesture felt quite good. She granted him a sweet smile, and immediately felt herself go weak from the intensity of his gaze. They sat like that for what seemed like eternity. Amon gazed at Robin, who stared right back.  
  
"Ah, Amon? Are you alright?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Amon shook himself out of his dream state. That had been strange.he had suddenly noticed the streaks of morning sunlight gleaming on Robin's smooth skin, and had felt the relaxation of her limbs when he reassured her of their safety.  
  
"I apologize. I've been tired lately, that's all."  
  
Robin believed him with all her heart, and so they went on to their daily dealings. She did what she could with their clothes, and later both were decked out comfortably in their old attire. The evening was spent over dinner with Lee, discussing their identities. It was the first time that Robin had seen him in all seriousness: usually he had a small smile or at least a mocking sort of expression in the stretch of his cheek. This evening he seemed rigid and nervous. Robin and Amon waited stiffly for him to say his piece on their situation.  
  
Lee sighed. It would be a long haul, this particular string of arrangements.  
  
"You are officially dead, Amon-kun and Robin-san. I have checked the records, and you are officially dead. From here, we must plan out your life for the future. I shall check on living arrangements tomorrow morning in some of the areas further away from the center. You will have to live a life of anonymity. We will worry about jobs later...for now I will provide for you. Until your new identities are ready, you must stay here and you must avoid contact with the outside. Now tell me, what kind of life do you want?  
  
Robin and Amon stared at him in shock. Neither of them had any idea how to answer the question. Looking to one another instinctively, they then averted their eyes. Robin thought carefully over the life she wanted. It could be like anything she'd ever dreamed of: a small house, a quiet area, and Amon. There would be Amon. She didn't know what to think about that.  
  
Amon took the question to heart. He had never thought about his future enough to consider this kind of issue. Life had always been spur of the moment, changing from day to day and when things became tangled they were sorted out, and that was that. Now he had to consider a future for himself, but also for Robin.  
  
Both of them blushed noticeably. Lee laughed, and continued.  
  
"I'll give you through tomorrow to discuss the matter while I look into basic residence opportunities. I'll need specifics to obtain your new identification, and other such things of importance. Please hurry. Right now, I'm going to bed for the evening."  
  
Lee left the room, and Amon and Robin followed. They drifted silently down the hall to their suite, and upon bathing in turn, the partners went to bed. Amon had allowed Robin to bathe before him because of the nature of her remaining wounds, and then got in himself. As he climbed into bed, he saw again her folded up piles of clothing on the table. 'Silly girl,' he thought to himself. 'She must have forgotten about this morning.'  
  
Somehow, Amon really didn't mind as much. She slept nude, and that was how she was. It made him queasy though, so he turned over and faced the other side, contemplating their future together. As he fell asleep, the same question was ringing in both of their minds:  
  
"What kind of life do you want?"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The dawn brought no easy solutions, only a note from Lee stating that he had left early to search for their future accommodations. Robin ate a lonely breakfast in silence, for she could not sleep. She considered her relationship with Amon. They would have to have some kind of false identity. Family was usually best, but what kind of family? She was lost in thought when Amon entered from behind her and sat down at the table with a small plate of rice.  
  
He ate in silence as she stared at the window. With a start, he began conversation.  
  
"Are you worried about the same thing I am?"  
  
"I don't know, to be honest. What are you worried about Amon?"  
  
Robin winced. That had been a foolish question. Amon did not usually enjoy having his mistakes or worries pointed out. He tensed immediately, as she expected, but then relaxed, finding no harm in the innocent statement.  
  
"I am worried about you and me. This has been a long road Robin, and now we are going even further. In order for this plan to work, we must trust entirely in one another. What do you want for our future?"  
  
Usually, Amon would not have asked such a question of her. Right now he couldn't answer it himself. It involved both of them: their inspirations, their hopes, their ideas. He did not know how to anticipate hers.  
  
Robin thought about the question for a moment before speaking.  
  
"I wish to do, at first, whatever Lee thinks will work better. I believe we would be able to pull through a relationship of friends sharing an apartment, just living together. That happens in Japan quite often, correct?"  
  
Amon responded with a rare laugh, earning a surprised look from Robin. He never laughed around her.  
  
"Yes, Robin, friends often live together. It is no crime to do so, do not worry. We will ask Lee what he thinks is best, and work from that. What kind of home would you like?"  
  
Robin faltered on this question, and then she looked out the window and began to speak. Quietly at first, but then louder she told him about her hopes of a home that she hid inside at all times. She did not want to bring up children into a monastery like she had been brought up, she wanted them with her so she could show them she cared and they would never doubt their existence.  
  
She wanted a house, nothing huge, in a suburb where she could take a walk and not be followed, and relax in the yard under the sunset. Without abandon she weaved her dreams into a verbal tapestry while Amon listened with immense fascination. This was a side to the ever-tolerant Robin he had never seen. They were fantasies, yes, but valid ones. She wanted an identity. It was not too much to ask, and deep down inside, Amon wanted one too.  
  
Robin finished with a sigh, and looked to him for a response. Giving her a smile, all he had to say was, "I agree."  
  
Those two words meant the world to her and across her face came the most beautiful smile Amon had ever seen. However, in her eyes was sadness, and he knew it. He watched her with his chin in his hand.  
  
"You will get your dreams fulfilled Robin, I promise."  
  
Lee heard only this as he entered his house, weary from a morning of searching. Entering the dining room, he found Robin and Amon staring dreamily out the window. Taking out a folder he placed it carefully on the table between them. They looked up in surprise. Lee smiled wearily.  
  
"This is your life, my friends. That is just the summary. It has been a long day for me. Please review the folder while I bathe, and then I shall discuss it in depth."  
  
With that he was gone, and the folder sat coldly on the table, untouched. At least Amon opened it reaching inside to see a large number of artificial documents and confusing pieces of paper. Robin looked at him questioningly, and he shook his head. He shut the folder.  
  
"I wish to wait for Lee. He will explain this in depth. Do not worry Robin, it will work out."  
  
Lee came back to find the folder closed and held loosely between Amon's fingers. He laughed, imagining that its immense amount of legal content would have puzzled them. He sat down to talk to them, and over the next hours he drew with words the changes that may have to come to them.  
  
The evening came, and Robin and Amon fell asleep exhaustedly. The morning would come, and they would discuss their new identities. It was difficult to think now, at this moment, when all the legal aspects of their life had been planned out for them. Lee had given them a straight account of only legal information that mattered little to them of yet. He had mixed it with random details about their identities, but not enough detail for them to fully understand. Those revelations would come tomorrow, in a fresher mindset.  
  
Yet they had not answered their question. 


	7. Soothing Homecoming

From Life and of Fire  
  
Chapter 7: Soothing Homecoming  
  
A/N: I apologize profusely for not updating in ages. I've been horrendously sick and busy, and hence just kind of forgot about it for a while. I hope this chapter and future ones make up for that. Thank you to my many reviewers for loving me ^^.  
  
Robin leaned her forehead exhaustedly into the lightly vibrating window. It had been an exhausting few days, to say the least. It had all begun the day after Lee showed them the folder full of legal information. She had gone to bed that night tired beyond all reason. The thoughts flowing around of danger and memory and Tokyo had startled her when she looked at the pages of blueprints and plans and identities that were far above her understanding. All of the hiding had taken her back to the time where she had to hide from her friends.  
  
The next day had brought some satisfaction. Lee had taken them to his study, a grand room with portraits and bits of artistry unfamiliar to both her and Amon. He had gently explained the contents of the folder to them. First, he had carefully laid aside the legal documents that barely concerned them. Then he had showed them their new identifications and related documents. They were to be good friends and content roommates, studying at the university and originating from a location out of town.  
  
Robin recalled staring in shock at the history of their lives. Soka Natori, formerly Amon, was a student from Japan who had moved away to study for his first few years of college in Europe. Manacelli Sara, formerly Sena Robin, had been a good friend of Natori's there. They were to perform an "independent research project" in Japan, without attending university classes or other such things. Lee said it was only safe to assume that the university was being watched, so it would be safest for them to avoid formal education.  
  
From there, they had each been given a life and an identity. Lee claimed that a change in personality would not be necessary. They both acted fairly European. This had made Robin wonder as to Amon, no, Natori's true origins. He looked Asian, she had concluded. However, his culture and actions were very faintly European. She couldn't put a finger on it.  
  
Now they were rolling on their way to suburban Tokyo, and into their future.  
  
Amon sat at the other backseat window, equally distressed. He didn't like having his world cut out for him. He felt so dependent on this new identity. Not so much unconfident, more uptight rather. He knew he could act the part, and so could Robin. However, they were jumping on top of the nose of the enemy. There were so many things they could do, but all they were allowed was to sit and hide.  
  
He knew she was overwhelmed by their new life. He would like it, if it weren't such a lie. It felt so odd, yet so normal. Best friends lived together during college and shared their dreams. This is what happened all the time in the anime that certain computer geeks showed during STN-J off- hours, but those relationships always ended up very graphical. Amon restrained his blush. He did not want to remember that, or see Robin in that way.  
  
The subconscious Amon laughed at him. Yes, he did. He could imagine some random anime character chiding him about being nervous. He had a slender young redhead at the tips of his fingers. There was so little he had to do to attract her, because she was so open to him and to the idea that he was sullen naturally. No one had ever dealt with it before, yet still showed they cared. Robin was so ideal in that way.  
  
Both were too wrapped up in their fantasies to notice that they had pulled up on a quiet street in a sweet, peaceful neighborhood, and that Lee was exiting from the car. They put pulled from their thoughts and climbed out, almost perfectly in sequence. It wasn't something they noticed. They had merely gotten into the habit of exiting cars at the exact moment so as to watch out for one another.  
  
It was instinct. Not just sibling instinct, but more.  
  
The neighborhood was pleasant. The house that had been chosen for them was small and comfortable, with two bedrooms and a large combined living room and kitchen unit, as well as two bathrooms. It was no distinctive color, just a mild grayish blue that seemed to mirror the soothing morning.  
  
Robin liked it, and she felt Amon did too. It wasn't lavishly decorated inside or out: it was just a relaxing place where they could get away from the stress of STN-J for a while. She hoped she'd know him a bit better, and his mysterious past.  
  
Amon felt nearly the same. Now that he was here, and looking at it, it wasn't so bad to be hiding away in this little misty alcove with Robin. There were a few extra rooms, and they could use the second bedroom for storage. Then his mind stopped. He shuddered inwardly. He hadn't meant to think that. Sleeping with a nude witch should be the last thing on his mind.  
  
Unfortunately, it wasn't the last thing on Lee's.  
  
The man proceeded to explain, confidently holding back his grin, the situation with furniture. They had a bed, plumbing and appliances, but that was it. The rest was coming later in the month and they would have to do for now. Robin heard the announcement and thought none of it for the moment. She merely plotted out gardens in her mind.  
  
Lee did get the chance to watch Amon's ashen expression. As he walked past the stricken man to join Robin, he muttered jokingly, "Congratulations on the engagement." He then frolicked away, seeing as Amon was looking very oddly trigger-happy.  
  
The afternoon left them in a flurry of wind, and the odd pair proceeded to the market a bit closer to the main section of their town, if one could call it that. It was more the neighborhood grocery store, and their lifestyle seemed to Amon as though it came out of an anime.  
  
They brought back those and other necessary house products that Robin insisted they needed in a companionable silence. It wasn't necessary to discuss the situation, Amon reasoned. She would figure it out soon enough. Later that evening, Robin retired to bed as Amon sipped a spot of tea and stared blankly out the window. It had been a tiring day, and he padded into the dark bedroom with no regard to dishes and no regard to light for concern of waking Robin.  
  
He felt too drained to pay attention to anything but sleep, and so he slipped into the customary pants and no shirt pajama set and slipped into bed, too exhausted to notice the soft breathing of the very naked Robin beside him. 


End file.
